Current and Former Guest Teachers

Joanna Berman, Former Principal, San Francisco Ballet

Tanya Bello graduated at Marymount Manhattan College with a B.F.A. in Dance. She served as an assistant to the Artistic Director of the Martha Graham Dance Company and Trust and was the liaison for the Martha Graham Trust at the Library of Congress. 

Jean-Yves Esquerre Esquerre danced with three of the most prestigious international companies, Maurice Béjart’s Les Ballets du XXème Siècle, John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet, and Jiri Kylian’s Nederlands Dans Theater. He was the ballet master of Le Ballet du Louvre, a Paris-based company created by Rudolf Nureyev. In 1987, he was invited to teach at Les Ballets de Monte Carlo and was subsequently offered the position of artistic director by H.S.H. Princess Caroline of Monaco. During his tenure, the company’s repertoire expanded significantly to include works by Balanchine, Tudor, Neumeier, Kylian, Forsythe, Scholz, Petit, Béjart, and masterpieces from the Ballets Russes tradition. Esquerre was instrumental in bringing in a new generation of young choreographers to create works for the fifty-member company. The company received international acclaim while touring extensively throughout the world. Ballet master and teacher for the English National Ballet and School, Le Centre International de Danse de Cannes, San Francisco Ballet School, Boston Ballet and School, Steps on Broadway, Le Cirque du Soleil, Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, and Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet School, to name a few. He also served as a juror/chairman in several international ballet competitions, including three years at the Prix de Lausanne. He was awarded France’s Prix Marquis de Cuevas for his contribution to the dance community.

Paul E. Curtis, Jr. studied under many famed dance teachers such as Lew, Harold and William Christensen, Anatol Oboukov, Pierre Blabimirov, and Felia Doubrovska, and Anthony Tudor. He danced in New York with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Ballet Theatre, and Slavenska Franklin Concert Ballet. He founded West Valley Ballet and was instrumental in changing the physical identity to San Jose Dance Theatre. Mr. Curtis has been a respected figure in the regional ballet movement both as a member and as a Board of Director. Mr. Curtis has been teaching dance for over 30 years. Many of them have gone on to professional carers with famous companies such as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey, San Francisco Ballet.

Kathleen Mitchell, Former Soloist San Francisco Ballet

Cristina Ross McClelland performed at San Jose Dance Theater under the direction of Paul E. Curtis and Shawn Stewart. She taught ballet at DTI for eight years She received her BA in Social Science, her teaching credential and supplementary authorization in Dance at San Jose State University. Chistina is a full time dance teacher at Independence High School. Cristina enjoys helping students reach their full potential, improving their self-confidence and appreciation of dance.

Katita Waldo, Principal, San Francisco Ballet